Code Geas: Demon's Wrath
by Xlerons
Summary: In the aftermath of the Shinjuku Massacre, Lelouch is unable to bring himself to kill Clovis, instead wounding him as punishment. However, when Nunnally's and the student council's lives are endangered, Lelouch is unable to rally the base of the future Black Knights, forcing him to single - handedly intervene. Lelouch as an Ace Knightmare Pilot / Returns to Britannia story. R&R.
1. Chapter I - Crisis at Kawaguchi

**Code Geass: Demon's Wrath**

 **Key:**

" " - Regular Speech

' ' - Unheard Thoughts

" " - Radio Communication

" " - Amplified Speech / External Speakers / Public Address System (PA System)

Disclaimer - Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Inc.

* * *

 _ **Chapter I: Crisis at Kawaguchi**_

Hisheart froze. Mere moments ago, while secretly preparing for Nunnally's upcoming birthday celebration, the prince in exile of the Holy Britannian Empire, Lelouch vi Britania, alias Lelouch Lamperouge, had just heard of an ongoing hostage crisis at the well known Lake Kawaguchi resort. Apparently, the famous tourist attraction had been commandeered by various nations' diplomats in order to serve as a meeting point for the latest annual Sakuradite production summit. Incidentally, however, it was this very same location to which his fellow student council members had opted to visit for the weekend, Nunnally in tow. Lelouch had wanted to ensure a surprise for his sister upon returning from the outing, having gone in glee with her friends following the extremely rare blessing and permission from her brother, a smile etched across her angelic face. And now, token of this one moment of intention, she was trapped in hostile territory, surrounded by racist and bigoted J.L.F. troops, doomed to end up as canon fodder along with those few she could call friends.

After several moments of panicked reflection, Lelouch's mind came to a single and unavoidable conclusion.

"I have to save her. I have to be there. I can't let her die like this, not like this!" He spoke out loud, his voice rising from a mere whisper to a deafening roar.

"Sayoko!" He shouted, calling upon his most trusted of maids.

Upon hearing her master's cry, the ever loyal woman appeared in a brisk fashion, having detected the urgency in his voice. "Yes master Lelouch, what it is you need me to do?" She asked, speaking the inquiry in a rapid manner.

"I need you to inform ruben that I am taking the Ganymede and going to save my sister and Milly, along with all the other members. I will not let these fools of men take what little remains precious to me upon this Earth!"

The maid simply nodded, recognizing the ferocity in her employer's voice and the burning flames of rage in his eyes, and quickly made her way to the headmaster's office, where Principle Ashford was no doubt glue to the television screen, worrying over his precious granddaughter that was Millicent.

While Sayoko left in one direction, Lelouch made a beeline for the student club houses' elevator shaft, one which lead to the school's underground tunnels and hangar. Quickly sliding his authorization keycard, he then pressed the button that would take him down towards the ground's lowest levels, where his mother's personal Knightmare was being stored ever since her allies' collective disgrace.

Upon reaching the tunnel, Lelouch ran, his physically uninspiring fitness be damned, straight for the hangar's outer doors, a large, twin set of armored plates, guarding its interiors against all unwarranted entry. Once again using his keycard, Lelouch entered the facility and switched on the interior light's, searching for his target. He found the engine of war, clad in its royal purple and Britannian seal, stating within the very center of the chamber, postponed upon the automated lift that would bring it above ground.

Making his way through the stacks, boxes and crates of various school and festival related materials, Lelouch reached the lifts control panel, activating its display and pulling up the Knightmare's initiation program. Typing in a set of boot up and evaluation commands, he then proceeded to approach the zip line which dropped down before him, inserting his foot in the metal stirrup and grasping the steel wire, allowing it to lift him into the open cockpit which held the controls. Taking his seat and buckling himself into a combat ready position, Lelouch grasped the machine's hand held controls and raced through preliminary motions, ensuring no unwarranted mid - combat breakdowns would occur.

The setup phase complete, Lelouch moved the Ganymede towards the hangar's back most wall, where its original weapons and ammunition had been kept in storage. Both the bus sized rifle and car sized combat knife were outdated by modern standards, but they would have to do in the time being. After all, these products had been Ashford produced weapons, and the Ashford Foundation had yet to disappoint him with anything they had set their minds too.

Armed and mobile, Lelouch ran one last check on the Knightmare's energy levels, currently holding out at approximately 95%. The external batteries, both bulky and vulnerable, had at least the advantage of larger energy storage, meaning he had enough power for at least four to five hours of active combat, give or take. Considering Kawaguchi's distance from the academy, Lelouch would have at least a good two hours of power left upon his arrival, depending on how fast he could make it there.

And so, without further pause, Lelouch remotely activated the hangar's lift mechanism, hydraulics screeching under the weight of the behemoth it attempted to raise. A minute later, a large, purple machine of death was seen racing towards the occupied convention center.

* * *

Ruben Ashford could normally be described as a clam and elegant man.. He was dignified, thought not overly so, and had often been told how his stable state of mind could keep him cool under fire, no matter the situation.

That Ruben Ashford, however, was not present when Sayoko burst into his office. The aged man, gray hairs lining his golden brown scalp, looked as if his very heart had been reached out. He was sweating profusely, a light sheen clearly visible across his face, and appeared as if he had not slept for days, heavy bags under his eyes.

The maid noticed a half - emptied bottle of scotch at his side, drink spilled across his usually pristine desk, testimony to his character, as well as a seemingly unending rambling, the Headmaster's voice barely above that of a whisper.

"This…This can't be happening…" The man said, his voice wavering and uncertain, an edge of panic in his tone.

"Master Ruben?" The Japanese Kunoichi inquired, more in a rhetorical fashion that one in which she believed would have been answered. "Master Ruben?" She voice out a second time, only with greater volume in her inquiry. Seemingly gaining no reaction from her esteemed employer, the woman left the doorway and physically grabbed hold of the panicking grandfather, a firm grip upon his shoulder. "Master Ruben!" Hhe shouted, her patience finally lost.

"Sa…Sa…Sayoko? What on Earth are you doing here?" He finally answered, anxiety now replaced with confusion.

Grateful of her existence having finally been acknowledge, Sayoko relayed Lelouch's message to the man. "Master Lelouch instructed me to inform you that he was taking the Ganymede to save his sister and Milly."

"WHAT!?" The man screeched, shock overcoming whatever fears had plagued him up to this point. "He cannot do that, the boy and his mother's knightmare will be turned into mincemeat if he goes out there! You cannot let him! Find him before it's too…"

Ruben's outburst came at a halt as a Purple Knightmare roared across the school plaza, racing towards the area of conflict. Tired and groggy under the effects of his earlier drinking, the headmaster simply shook his head and sat down upon his chair, worry once again reigning over his emotions.

Confused at the man's seemingly unwarranted anger, Sayoko approached him and asked, "Why do you fear for the young master's life? Did you not inform me that he was a capable pilot?"

Emerging from his shell Ruben looked into the loyal maid's eyes and explained, "The boy has piloting talent's exceeding those of his mother, that is not my worry. What concern's me is that, no matter his level of skill, the Ganymede is simply to old to go on par with the most recent models. That machine of his would be turned into scrap metal in little to no time." Sighing once more, the aged superintendent gazed outside his window, looking upon the lights of the Tokyo Settlement and said, "But God knows, if anything should happen to his sister, the Devil himself will run and hide from the horrors he will bring down upon this world."

And without another word, both employer and employee turned to face the television screen, wondering, hoping on the developments that the news may present in the coming minutes.

* * *

Euphemia was frightened. She had, merely moments ago, been enamored with the resorts vast array of public accommodations and various forms of entertainment, running form one room or booth to the next, drinking in her surroundings as if the were her very life source. Cornelia, protective as she was, had almost never let her out of her sight, let alone go anywhere one her own, let alone without some form of security or another, usually some bodyguard or knight. The chance she'd been given upon receiving her elder sister's blessing to visit the convention center while she stayed behind to tend to Area 11's military and administrative duties had been one of the greatest opportunities she could hope for, finally being allowed to wander ever since her first day on the former Japanese mainland.

Unfortunately, however, it seemed that the fun was not too last, the joy of freedom having been quickly pulled out from under her as she was urged into a storage room, former Japanese soldiers seizing the building and holding them hostage. Her only comforts included the one female bodyguard that had been assigned to her by Cornelia, as well as the hope that her older sister would come and save her, a belief she held onto for dear life. And so, as the hours dragged by and night began to fall upon the land of the rising sun, Euphemia li Britannia, 3rd Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire, hunkered down and waited within the now occupied room, waiting for rescue.

It was then that, out of nowhere, a soothing and angelic voice made itself heard, one which made her worries and fears all but forgotten, replaced by feelings of nostalgia and wonder.

"It's okay Nina, were going to be alright. Onii - sama will come for us, you'll see. He won't let anything happen to me or you as long as he's around, okay? Just stay calm, nothing is going to happen to us."

"But…But Nunnally, they've already killed someone…these…these Elevens are going to hurt us! I don't want to die! I just want go home!"

The combination of the natural resemblance of the voice, coupled with her supposedly dead half - sister's name, only encouraged Euphemia to desperately search for the conversation's origin, hoping to find whoever she believed it to be was, in fact, very much alive. Finally, after several moments of quick and furtive glances, the pink - haired princess finally caught onto her target. There, mere feet away from her position, sat a young girl, long auburn hair flowing down behind her back, eyes close and smiling gently. If there had been any doubt in Euphemia's mind as to the identity of the ghost from her past, the wheelchair upon which the young paralytic sat only confirmed her suspicions.

Tears forming at the corner of her eyes at the revelation of her beloved half - sister's survival, the princess quickly focused back upon the ongoing conversation between the cowering student and her compatriots.

"Nina, listen to Nunnally. We're all going to get out of this together and unharmed. Lelouch would never let any harm come to us, do you understand?"

"But Milly, Lelouch is all the way back at Ashford, and he's just a student! How can you expect him to help us?"

As if an answer to Nina's question, a monstrous roar made itself heard within the room, speaker system blaring the statement across the twilight sky.

" **YOU WILL NOT HARM HER!"**

* * *

It had only been a few minutes since the first hostage had been unceremoniously pushed off the resorts roof, and Cornelia li Britannia, commonly referenced to by her enemies under the moniker of the Witch of Britannia, was powerless to save her sister Euphemia. For the past two hours, the warrior princess had been desperately working through scenario after scenario wit her trusted knight and companion Guilford and Darlton, looking for a way to save her younger sibling.

"Damn it all!" She screeched, "There must be some way in which we can rescue Euphy! I refuse to let any harm come to her! This land has already taken the lives of two of my siblings, and hospitalized a third!", anger and malice intermixed within the pageful outburst.

"Princess Cornelia…" Her knight Guilford soothed, "I assure you we are looking into every way of saving her, we just need more time…"

However the knight's attempts at pacifying his liege failed miserably, with Cornelia retorting virtually instantaneously, "And yet we don't have time! What guarantees do we have that these terrorists won't single out Euphy next and simply throw her over the ledge! We cannot afford…"

The princess' rant was cut short by the shrill tone of a radio hailing, the G1's onboard receiver being picked up in a single motion by the nearby General Darlton.

"Yes, what is it?" The scar faced soldier asked, his voice gruff and without yield.

"My Lord!" Answered a soldier, his voice worried and anxious, _"There is an approaching Knightmare bearing the royal seal, its moving towards us at top speeds!"_

"What!?" He barked, annoyance and anger present within his voice, "The only royal currently within Area 11 are the Viceroy and sub - Vicerine themselves, with only one bearing the royal sigil. What are you talking about soldier!?"

Intrigued and alerted by the serious nature of Darlton's tone, Cornelia ordered one of the command center's onboard technicians to path the incoming message into the interior speakers, allowing all present to listen in on the conversation.

" _I can only tell you what I'm seeing general. It appears to be a third generation knightmare frame, royal purple in color and has eight distinct land spinners for feet!"_

At the mention of the approaching machine's apparent generation, couple with the vague explanation, a thought came to the warrior's mind.

"The Ganymede!? Thats impossible, i was told that frame was lost with the Ashfords' disgrace!" A mixture of hope and disbelief in her voice, the improbability of truth and illogical notion of hope colliding within her mind.

" _Video uplink enabled, it's almost crossed the barrier!"_ The soldier reported again.

As the image was pulled up on screen, the unmistakable engine of death, Marianne the Flash's Ganymede, was put forth in its full glory, racing at breathtaking speeds towards the convention center. Even more surprising, however, was the lone figure piloting it. Raven black haired covered his head, while cool, amethyst eyes, an inferno of hellfire raging within them, stared straight ahead, unaltered by whatever lay at his sides.

Darlton, upon seeing the teenaged figure, cam to sudden revelation. "Is that…"

"Lelouch…?" Cornelia finished, an aura of joy and bewilderment surrounding her person.

And then a roar, loud as could be, echoed throughout the night sky.

" **YOU WILL NOT HARM HER!"** He screamed.

Breaking through the impromptu military barricade, the purple knightmare rocketed towards the connecting bridge, dodging and weaving its way, in a brusque yet elegant fashion, through the many trucks, tanks and armored vehicles that littered the ground in front of it.

Soon however, Lelouch recognized the forms of three distinct Gloucesters blocking his path. Reacting in quick fashion, Lelouch forced his frame into maximum speed, sending the Ganymedes land spinner system into overdrive and forced the 60 ton machine into a crouch - jump, hurtling it over the other Knightmares and landing with definitive crunch upon the bridge in their rear, concrete collapsing and shock - absorbers straining over the immense weight and kinetic energy of the fall, yet continuing on at breathtaking speed towards the men whom had dared to harm Nunnally.

"Did that knightmare just jump?" An awed Darlton asked to nobody in peculiar. Such a move was so difficult to reach that it left even the hardened war veteran in a state of wonder, having never seen the particular action carried out correctly in the entirety of his experience, save for Lady Marianne in one instance while in Area 6 while Cornelia was still under the late empress' tutelage.

"I believe it has." Was the only vocally heard response, having left, maybe inadvertently, his princess and commanders mouth.

For a moment those located within the G1's bridge thought of hailing the lost prince in an attempt to have him retreat, the only reason for the current inactivity of the Britannian forces being the fear for the hostages safety should they have made any unwarranted move. Now, however, and considering the fact that a Prince of the empire, exiled and believed dead for the past 7 years, had simply charged into the fray, those gazing down the one - way access towards the resort tower could only watch as hellfire and death was rained upon the rogue J.L.F. forces. It would be reported, at a later time, that there were no survivors.

* * *

Josui Kusakabe was on the verge of a breakdown. Mere moments ago his plan was working as smoothly as clockwork, the next he was facing a demon of a knightmare, tearing through his men, slaughtering all whom even attempted to impose themselves in the machine's way.

Upon first being notified of the aged Knightmare's arrival, the Colonel had ordered the resorts only connecting bridge, hoping to take out the lone machine by sinking it to the lake's floor. Much to his horror, the series of detonations did little to discourage the purple demon, it seemingly accelerating until it reached the forward defenses, unleashing a volley of high explosive rounds into the weak flesh of the Japanese soldiers. What rendered the situation even worse was the skill the pilot displayed, dodging the carefully position anti - knightmare rocket positions, their target simply swerving out of the projectiles way before unloading round after round of anti - personal fire into the building, making sure to avoid whichever floor the hostages were located. The situation was worsened by the fact that none of their missiles seemed to get a lock upon the machine, the lack of a Yggdrasil Drive rendering their heat seeking properties moot.

Before long, the rampant machine was climbing its way up the face of the tower, slash - harkens acting as grappling hooks, and unloaded clip after clip of both anti - amor and anti - personal rounds into each separate floor, killing any J.L.F. forces unfortunate enough to be in its line of fire.

In a mere 10 minutes, Kusakabe's 120 men strong force was reduced to 8, including himself and those present wit him in the buildings penthouse level office.

Suddenly, an enormous crash ringed in the Japanese Colonel ears, his eyes opening only to find himself facing the business - end of an old - fashioned Knightmare rifle, at which point the entire world went dark.

* * *

Silence. After what had seemed like an eternity of deepening sound and countless screams, silence had once again fallen upon the Lake Kawaguchi resort. Both she and the other hostages had heard the ungodly roar that had made a presence known within the lake's vicinity, and they had all collectively witness the sheer ferocity and rage it had donned out to those who stood in its way, the screams of anger of a rather young man echoing through the duration of the relentless firefight.

Now however, silence had prevailed. The explosions had ceased, the screaming had gone, and the tale - tale sign of rifle fire were all but gone.

A slow whirr made itself heard, however, as a royal purple Knightmare frame lower itself to to storage room's level, its hand removing the glass panes separating it from the inside. Slowly, but carefully, the bulky machine, now covered in scorch marks and dented plates of armor, made its way into the only intact floor of the building.

The sound of a depressurizing cockpit, couple with the release of mechanical locks, signaled the sortie of the machine's pilot. There, a young man, covered in head to toe in what appeared to be his own blood, liquid emanating from a rather impressive head would, slid down the Knightmare's zip line. Upon reaching the floor, he stumbled, visibly disoriented and physically weakened by his recent endeavor's. However, despite his state, one that left most of the hostages in a state of shock and awe, the boy made a beeline towards a young girl in a wheelchair, pulling her into his grasp and clinging to her as if his very life depended on it.

"Onii - sama is here Nuna…Your brother's here, tour safe now…" Despite the supposedly reassuring words, the feeling of a hot liquid upon her brother's form quickly overwhelmed her feeling of joy, concern and alert now taking command.

"Lelouch, are you okay? Do you need help?" Nunnally asked, her fear growing by the second.

"Brother's ok Nuna…Brother's ok…" And then his voice trailed off, Lelouch having lost consciousness, his wound and physical exhaustion, coupled with his mental stress, finally taking their toll on the boy."

"Lelouch!" Nunnally cried out, "Lelouch wake up! Answer me brother! Answer me!" He voice was hysterical, heartbreaking to all those watching.

Regaining her senses after having watched the both touching and scarring scene, Euphemia quickly sprung into action. Addressing her bodyguard, the young royal order, "Contact the G1 immediately, have them prepare the medical facility at once! I don't care what it takes, but save my brother's life!"

* * *

Onboard the G1, Cornelia and her staff could only gawk at the remnants that was, less than a day ago, one of Japan's most widely known tourist attractions. The building was a skeleton, metal supports beams and half standing concrete walls now making up a large portion of the once renowned and beautiful structure. Corpses and parts of what was once enemy forces littered the ground, their equipment in shambles and bodies in peaces. Blood covered the area, leaving behind a scene of a war zone - like massacre.

In all honesty, Cornelia felt proud, her half - brother having single handedly annihilated the J.L.F. troops in nothing but an outdated and unprotected Knightmare, his movements and strikes having truly cemented her belief that he was, indeed, Marianne son. However, it was in silent agreement with the remainder of her staff that the boy's actions had unnerved them, the blood - lust apparent in his absolutely lethal attack leaving many judging his sanity and their intestines in knots.

"My Lady, I recommend we move it at once." Guilford had said as soon as the firing had stopped. He had been the first to have come to his senses, his suggestion quickly bringing Cornelia to her own.

Pressing down upon the G1's speaker system, the Witch of Britania barked out her orders in the most authoritarian tone she could manage, "All forces, converge on the hotel this instant! Wit out any and all stragglers on sight and secure the hostages!"

Immediately following her declaration, the G1 was being hailed yet again by another radio channel.

"Hello, this is Samantha Gregor, personal guard of her Highness Euphemia li Britannia under the direct orders of Viceroy Cornelia li Britannia. I am requesting and immediate medical response team under her highness' orders. The pilot of the Knightmare frame is gravely injured and requires immediate medical attention if he is to survive his injuries."

The original shock of this new piece of information past, Cornelia's protective instincts instantly kicked in, doing her into overdrive.

"Guilford, gather up the two best doctors in the G1's medical bay and bring them to the hostages immediately! I want Lelouch see and sound, as well as ALIVE before the sun comes out. If he dies I will personally hold you responsible, understood!" The utter ferocity in the command left Cornelia's Knight no room for discussion, not that there would be anyways, and forced him to comply, his pace brisk and rapid as he made his way to the infirmary.

"Darlton" She said, "I'm going to meet my brother and sister, you are in command for the time being." and without a second glance, the Witch of Britannia left the command bridge, hot on her Knight of Honor's tail.

'You are the devil Prince Lelouch' Darlton thought.

* * *

In the storage room, the majority of the hostages had started getting up from there sitting positions, stretching their limbs after several hours of tense fright, waiting for the arrival of Britannian soldiers. Of these persons, however, most were carefully eyeing the young man whom had to appeared to have single - handedly saved them from a possibly gruesome fate, his body crimson in color and his skin an ashen pale. The young girl, apparently his sister, was frantically trying to have him wake up, a goal she was failing at miserably.

Suddenly the rooms double doors flew open, a squadron of ten colonial soldiers entering the room and ensuring the hostages safety. Behind them came two doctors and a Knight, sword gleaming under the moonlit sky, themselves followed by none - other than the second princess herself, Cornelia.

Upon seeing the state of the 'lost' prince, both Guilford's and Cornelia's faces turned pale, fearing for the worst. The boy seemed to have lost simply too much blood to survive, his facial expression resembling that of a corpse. The medical staff brought along by Guilford, however, immediately swooped in and carried the boy off in a stretcher, initially prevented by the crippled girl that was desperately attempting to hold onto his body.

"No, don't take him away please! Onii - sama come back! Please don't take him away from me again!" She wailed, her sobs growing by the second.

It was a this moment that both Euphemia and Cornelia closed in on their sister's fragile and shacking form, attempting to assure her that her brother would be, in fact, alright.

"Shuu Nuna. Me and Euphy are here now. Lelouch is going to be alright, we have the best medical staff tacking care of him right now." She soothed, hopping to calm down the blind and crippled girl, wheelchair abandoned and tipped over at her side.

"Are you telling me the truth? Is Onii - sama going to be okay? Is he safe?" She asked, her tone expressing both anxiety and exhaustion.

"Yes." Replied Cornelia, "Your brother is going to be alright. For now we have to get you and Euphy out of here and back to the Viceroy's palace, you'll be safe there. For now I have to check up on something." And with that phrase Cornelia had both her sister's escorted back to the G1, a contingency of six guards protecting the duo. She had just found two of her supposedly 'dead' siblings. She was not going to lose them again.

As the room was cleared of hostage, only Cornelia and another two guards remained, the princess approaching the now scared Ganymede. It was, for all intensive purposes, unchanged from how she had remembered it as Marianne's captain of the guard. Its limbs were now fractured, its armor shredded, and electronics fried. It was nothing short of a Miracle that Lelouch had been able to pilot the machine to such ends, something which cost him considering the horrifying amount of blood cacheing the cockpit's walls, a sight that caused her stomach to knot itself up.

Returning to the present situation, Cornelia barked out what could have been her hundredth order for the night, ordering the Knightmare to be brought to her as soon as possible, before walking out the door and back to the G1.

* * *

Outside the G1, the student council members sat upon the concrete ground, exhausted from their latest ordeal. While the hostage situation had definitely played a role in their current state of mind, it was the highly unexpected arrival of Lelouch, in a Knightmare no less, that left them in a state of shock, culminated furthermore by his horrifying appearance upon having left the Ganymede's cockpit.

"Is he going to be okay Ms. Prez?" Asked Shirley, whom had almost gone virtually berserk over her not - so - secret crush's welfare, had not Nunnally already beaten her to the punch.

"He should be, although I'm pretty sure he won't be up for regular student council activities for a while considering his current state. Even Britannian medical science is good enough to get him on his feet from this day to the next." Milly replied, her attempt at joviality lose by the fatigue that encompassed her mind.

"Who would have thought that Lelouch, of all people, would have been capable of…well…that…" Stated Rivalz, his finger pointing towards the remnants of their past prison.

"I'm just happy we all got out of there alive…" A so far silent Nina stated shyly, though a glint in her otherwise dead eyes express sincere relief and, more importantly, gratitude towards her current situation.

"In any case," The buxom Ashford blond interjected, "I think its high tide we head home. Let's go guys, grandfather sent us a taxi as soon as he heard that we were safe and sound."

And without another word, the Ashford Academy student council made there way towards the awaiting cars, there one which being that of reaching their beds.

* * *

Cecile was all but a tad - bit worried of her bosses behavior. Upon recognizing the purple Knightmare, Lloyd had become positively euphoric, and feeling compounded as he observed the movements and motions its pilot had put the elder Knightmare frame through, motions that should have been all but impossible, almost akin to what his current devices, Suzaku, regularly did with his experimental Knightmare, the Lancelot. Words could no longer describe his happiness when, on top of this all, he was informed the pilot was, infant, the son of Marianne the Flash, a detail which caused him to literally holler in joy at the moon.

"I must get my hands on him Cecile! He's perfect, perfect I tell you! Imagine the data we can gather with him as our pilot!"

And so the crazed scientists ramblings went on, drifting into the background as his female assistant eyed Suzaku, noticing his rather downtrodden expression.

"Is everything all right Suzaku?" She asked in a motherly and caring way.

"I'm fine." He simply replied, "I'm fine."


	2. Chapter II - Son of the Flash

**Code Geass: Demon's Wrath**

 **Key:**

" " - Regular Speech

' ' - Unheard Thoughts

" " - Radio Communication

" " - Amplified Speech / External Speakers / Public Address System (PA System)

Disclaimer - Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Inc.

* * *

 _ **Chapter II: Son of the Flash**_

When Cornelia had first laid her eyes upon her brother's form as she entered the G1's medical wing, it would be said that she felt an equally strong mix of both relief and apprehension, conflicting emotions plaguing her mind.

It had been but a mere two hours since the official end of the Lake Kawaguchi Crisis, as so aptly named by the Britannian media, whom had virtually pounced upon the story as it it were meat for a starving animal, unable to resist their urge for information. While in had proven impossible to simply keep the affair under raps, considering the very nature of the events, most notably Lelouch's rage induced rescue, scenes of extreme violence having been put on the air for all too see, both her and the military censors had, however, been successful in protecting the identity of the purple Knightmare's pilot, Lelouch vi Britannia.

While her brother' identity would undoubtedly be brought to light at one point or another in the near future, his current state would have only resulted in the dumbing down of his achievements during the night. The reason behind this was, for simplicities sake, that he was in absolutely no state of making any sort of appearance any time soon.

He looked terrible. His skin was ghostly white, covered in a thin sheen of sweat that had yet to leave his body after his brutal physical trial at the Ganymede's control, an effort that had thoroughly exhausted him due to his unfit physique. It was, both to her and Guilford's belief, that it had only been his sheer willpower to ensure Nunnally safety which had allowed him to carry on as long as he had. For the time being, the boy had been placed into a medically induced coma, much to his sisters' chagrin, the doctor's insisting that by lowering his metabolic functions that he would have an overall better chance of recovery. What made the matter worse was the fact that his only blood sibling, Nunnally, was in a similar state, although still awake, lying on a nearby medical bed and carefully eyeing her brother's still form.

Although Guilford had managed to quickly apprehend his unconscious state, wit the help of the medical staff her had brought along with him, the young prince's case seemed all but hopeless, his head would having cause him to suffer an unfortunately lethal level of blood loss. Not only this, but the G1's rather limited emergency blood supplies had yet to be restocked, denying the possibility of any rapid transfusion. Desperate to save Lelouch's life, Cornelia had offered her own blood as a substitute but was faced with the harsh reality that their two blood types were incompatible, herself possession an O - type while Lelouch himself was registered to have the extremely rare AB -type.

It was only by some stroke of luck that Nunnally had stayed close by so as to make sure her brother was ok, having carefully concealed herself as best she could under the circumstances. When she came to understand the situation, she had made her presence noticed to the room's occupants, declaring that she herself would be willing to donate.

However, both out of her unwillingness to carry out such actions on Nunnally's frail form and fear of an undoubtedly future Lelouch's ire, Cornelia had initially refused the offer, claiming it would have been too dangerous. To her dismay, the younger half - sibling quickly shot down her elder's argument, claiming that she was the only one with the necessary blood - type nearby and that she would do anything to save Lelouch's life, especially after having gone through literal hell in order to insure her safety. It was the least she could do.

And so, without further complaint, Nunnally had gone through with the procedure, the medical staff carrying out their actions under the watchful and worried gaze of the third princess, finally gathering the necessary life - force to properly stabilize the unconscious figure's condition.

"Princess Cornelia," Her Knight Guilford intoned, weariness in his speech, "I think it would be best if you finally enjoyed some rest. You've done all that you could for the moment, they are in good hands. Would you like me to escort you back to your quarters?"

Reflecting upon his calm words, the princess answered, "Yes. I believe your right. It would be best if I should obtain some well - deserved shut eye. No doubt Euphemia is worried about Lelouch's fate as well."

And with those parting words, the Witch of Britannia made her way down the G1's corridors and into her room, flopping beside Euphemia's sleeping form in a protective embrace, and allowed her fatigue to claim its due rewards.

* * *

In the murky darkness of the Imperial Palace's court room, Charles zi Britannia's tall and broad form was sitting upon his throne, eye's closely focused upon the most recent of Britannian news on the screen in front of him. It was, without a doubt, his beloved Marianne's Ganymede that had both cleaved and slaughtered its way through Eleven terrorists in some form of hostage situation, leaving no room for mercy nor survivors.

An ever so slight tug could be seen at the corner of his lips, forming the very faintest of smirks as the scene played itself over and over upon the network's background.

"My oh my." A small, pink haired girl commented, her high pitched voice echoing the chamber's vast and empty space. "It appears that this son of ours had, in fact, inherited something other than your intelligence Charles." Her use of tone expressing no small amount of pride and amusement."

The young girl, also known as Anya Alstreim, currently the Knight of Six, was currently under the control of the 'late' Empress Marianne, faint red rings around her pink shaded irises acting as the tale - tale sing of her Geass' hold. She was sitting in her husbands lap, his super legs acting as a sort of cushion for her small bottom.

"Yes," Her husband gruffly acknowledge, positive consent detectable in his statement, "it seems that he has finally come to embrace your skill and talent as a pilot Marianne. I was honestly beginning to think that the only thing he acquired from you was his hair color and spindly form. There's no denying his rather spindly frame, I'm afraid." His comments held no criticism, surprisingly, instead laying out the facts that made themselves presentable to him.

"Do you believe this could interfere with our plans for Ragnarök dear? Was this sort of thing supposed to happen?" Marianne inquired, wanting to understand her husband's intentions following the unforeseen occurrence.

Remaining silent for several moments, the Emperor finally voiced his answer back towards his wife, stating how, "While this was not foreseen, I do not see it causing us any potential troubles in the near future, though we should er on the side of caution and observe him from afar in order to insure he does not pose as a threat. Considering it all, I do believe it may be time to bring the boy and his sister back into the fold, wouldn't you agree?"

Marianne knew that she was privy to the majority of her husbands schemes, though she could also realize when his questions were more rhetorical that genuinely seeking her opinion. With a rather larger sigh, the disembodied woman simply replied, "I won't go against your plans Charles, thought I can't say I'm completely comfortable with both Lelouch and Nunnally finding their way back into the den of vipers that is Pendragon. At least they were safe while living incognito in Japan. After all, it was the primary reason for sending them their in the first place, as you well know. Just at least try to cover for them a little, even if its only temporary. Lulu is rather cunning, much - like you, so he'll be able to provide for himself and Nuna once they settle in."

"So its settled then." The Emperor's tone of inflection leaving no further room for discussion, signaling the conversations end.

Picking up what appeared to be an ordinary mobile phone at his side, Charles called upon his most trusted Knight of One, Bismarck Waldstein, and spoke a single phrase, "It's time." he said. A rapid, _"Yes, your Majesty."_ sounded upon the other end of the line, at which point he unceremoniously hung up, rose from his position, and made way towards his personal quarters, tired of the days events, the pinkish girl making her way towards the other end of the palace as well, not bothering to look back. They needed sleep because, after all, they were, in the end, only human. For now.

* * *

When Cécile Croomy awoke the morning following the Kawaguchi Hostage Crisis, she had half - expected to find Lloyd prancing about his beloved Lancelot, looking for ways to either increase its already rather spectacular performance or just conjuring up new weapons he could possibly design for the experimental frame to wield. What she had not expected, however, was the half - crazed grin he gave her as she approached his personal work terminal, bags under his eyes and stray styrofoam cups littering the floor, stained by what she could only imagined had once been coffee.

"Ah, Cécile!" He half- shouted, his voice mirroring the pitch of a girl at least ten years his junior, most likely due to the presumably high amounts of caffeine undoubtedly coursing through his system, "Please, take a seat, you must see the marvelous data I gathered from last night's events!" He told her, excitement apparent and made all the more pronounced by the mad glint in his eyes and toothy smile, so broad it could be dubbed unnatural in appearance.

Confused about her boss' statement, the still slightly tired assistant asked him in a soft tone, "What do you mean Lloyd? The Lancelot never even left the A.S.E.E.C. trailer's hangar, with Suzaku not budging from the cockpit during the entire hostage situation's passing. What data could you possibly be talking about?"

Pleased at the blue haired woman's apparent ignorance, the lab coat clad scientist simply flashed her a sheepish smile, before moving onto the matter at hand, "Why, none other than that from the Ganymede my dear! Did you not see the way it moved while we were watching on our screens? Absolutely marvelous I tell you! There was so much record and analyze based on the video footage alone!" the scientist's voice rising in volume as his explanation dragged on, the matter having quite clearly peaked his interest and brought fourth a new level of enthusiasm from the seemingly endless recesses of his mind. It was no surprise to either himself or his coworkers that he was often labeled as a sociopath, his demeanor clearly matching that associated with the term, a description he not only failed to mind, but even promoted from time to time. Lloyd Ashland was, after all, a very particular kind of individual.

Taking note of the award silence that had befallen the duo, the eccentric genius continued on with his explanation, "Marianne's son is truly an exceptional devices. The ways in which he was able to make the third generation frame move is beyond that of my wildest dreams. Here, look over last night's calculations. If I'm correct, which I am almost assuredly so, I'd say he's floating anywhere around 98 to 100% efficiency. Just imagine what data he could produce with my Lancelot, or any other of our frames for that manner! He could become a virtual gold mine of information, our research data would go through the roof!"

Having finally understood the underlying cause of his attitude, Cécile proceeded to insert herself into the increasingly one - sided conversation, telling him how, "Lloyd, while I'm very impressed with what you've discovered as of now, I have to warn you that the Ganymede's pilot was none other than Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, our so called 'lost' prince. In addition, I doubt that he's in any condition to pilot your latest toys, and even if he was it would be unlikely her highness Cornelia would allow it following recent events."

Despite the both sound and reasonable argument presented by his assistant, the lavender haired scientist merely brushed the potential setbacks off, positive they would not stand in his way. "Now Cécile, your a smart young woman, I admit it, so you of all people must realize the boy will be back on his feet soon enough, so that shouldn't be a problem. As for his physical endurance, nothing like a few laps around the nearby military compounds with our dear Suzaku to whip him into shape. And, by the way, I doubt Princess Cornelia could force him down from piloting Knightmares again, he's simply too good to allow it, plus I doubt his pride would make him so easy to put down, so however you look at things, no worries!"

Considering Lloyd's joyful and supremely confident tone, Cécile simply acknowledged his points and decided to end the conversation, it being to early in the morning to try and attempt to install some sense into the man, preferring to put it off until a later time. For now, at least, she headed down the nearby flight of stairs towards the trailer's mess hall, desperately in search for a decent cup of coffee and regular human interaction.

'It's just another day at work…' She thought.

* * *

Schneizel el Britannia, 2nd Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire and 2nd in line for the Imperial Throne had, so far, experienced a generally typical day. As prime minister of Britannia, he spent the majority of his days flying from one country or another, most recently the European Union and former Middle Eastern Federation, conducting various trade agreements and peace talks in an attempt to diffuse the rather tense diplomatic situation. Britannia may be the most powerful nation of Earth on paper, however reality is often a different subject altogether. Cornelia's recent establishment of Area 18, coupled with ongoing turmoils in her governance of Area 11, had severely outstretched the Empire's frontline, weakening its borders. Peace was, for now, a valuable necessity, allowing for a breather period in which the military could rekindle its forces and solidify its newly conquered positions. He was well aware of the inevitable conflict that was to come in the face down between the European alliance and the Empire, but that time was to come at a later date, for now he would arrange the pieces in the best possible manner so that they may prove useful in the future.

He'd currently been enjoying a brief session of respite in his private quarters onboard Avalon's, a local Paris newspaper in hand and ever - loyal Kanon massaging his tense shoulder muscle's, when a shrill tone sounded within his room. Observing the screen which popped out from a hidden compartment within the rightmost side of the room, it was boldly stated that the individual hailing him was none other than his sister Cornelia. Grabbing nearby remote after having waved his aide off for the sake of proper decorum, the prince pressed a button upon the remote's frame, revealing Area 11's newest Vicerine, and uncharacteristic expression of worry etched across her face, something contrasting to her usually more serious expression.

"Hello Cornelia," He stated in a gentle manner, a hint of gaiety in his tone, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" he asked.

A slight blush made itself present upon the warrior princess' face following the simple greeting, Schneizel's words always catching the violet haired pilot off guard.

'She really makes it too easy to get to her.' He thought, carefully observing her reaction.

" _Ah, Schneizel, we seem to have had a particular development here in Area 11, and I was hoping if I could head your council."_ She stated, an edge of uncertainty weaving its way in her words.

'She doesn't trust me most likely, although I cannot truly blame her for such notions thought. I might as well find out what seems to be bothering her.'

Schooling her face into a more neutral fashion, Cornelia once again addressed the Prime Minister. _"I assume you've seen the latest news on the hostage crisis that occurred yesterday night?"_ She asked, more in a rhetorical fashion than anything else. Of course the man would have heard, he made it his business to know everything going on around him.

"Yes, in fact, I did." Came his reply, as if it were but common knowledge. In a sense it was really, though that was beside the point, wondering what she was building up to. Then, as an afterthought, he commented, "My sincere congratulations on that Knightmare's pilot, I'm sure he was well rewarded for his actions. Guilford had informed me of Euphemia's unfortunate involvement in the incident."

It was at this point that Schnitzel discovered a newfound interest in the conversation, Cornelia's expression reverting back to that of anxiety and uncertainty from before, proving he had hit the nail on something of interest.

'What could it be.' He thought.

"Yes," Came the beginnings of his sister's reply, "its about that pilot, actually." He tone was soft, almost…remorseful? Now this was drawing the prince's interest even further.

"Cornelia," He began rather soothingly, "what is it you've found?", he asked.

A few tense moments of silence hung in the air, waiting for Cornelia to formulate a reply.

"Schneizel…" She began, hesitation clearly evident in the way she approached the subject, "The pilot was Lelouch…"

* * *

Upon the return of his granddaughter, Ruben Ashford felt as if an enormous weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders, an ironic feeling considering how he had endured nothing close to what she and her fellow student's had the night before. Above his sense of relief however, something shared between him and the kunoichi that was Sayoko, whom had remained in an effort to comfort the ailing noble, was a deeper emotion of gratitude. True, he could not have foreseen what might have occurred should Cornelia have carried out whatever plans she may have devised, yet it was Lelouch's timely, as well as brutal, intervention that had ultimately brought his loved one back. Had he not, he had a very bad feeling that the Princess may have simply bombed the resort into oblivion, if nothing more than to make an example of the so called 'terrorists' that had seized the building.

What unnerved the man, however, was Lelouch's lack of reappearance along with his Friends, as well as the convenient absence of a certain blind cripple. Their absence left an awful senses of apprehension within him, fearing for the worst. Marianne may have been a political ally, but her years of interaction wit the Ashford family head had caused them to become close friends, a relationship that soon found itself extend to her children. He had, along the years of mutual exile, come to see the former prince and princess as a sort or surrogate grandchildren, a feeling returned by both, if slightly less obvious for the stone faced Lelouch. He chalked it up to the boy's cautious nature thought, as Nunnally more than made up for her brother's lack.

Therefore, upon Millicent's safe return and a good night's rest, Ruben's first act was to summon the girl to his office, hoping to gain a deeper insight on the events of that night and, more importantly, the missing royals' locations.

It wasn't long before Milly strolled into his office, face somewhat downtrodden as if she had prepared for the inevitable interrogation, an action she had most likely predicted upon her waking in the morning.

"I assume you know why your here Milly, so I'll make this a quick as we can." The aged Ashford Academy principle stood from his seat and embraced his granddaughter, a comforting gesture he knew both of them had been in dire need since her return. The moment of tenderness passed, he sat back down, arms resting upon his desk's plush leather chair, and continued, "Now, where are Lelouch and Nunnally?"

The buxom blond did not answer him immediately, eyes looking towards her feet and floor, a bad sign if Ruben had ever seen one. Eventually, she answered, "There both with Cornelia grandfather, their identities were discovered soon after the operation." Her voice was sad and regretful, having presumably already imagined what fate would befall the duo, no matter how protective their elder sister deemed herself to be. They would be returning to the mainland, no doubt.

Clearing his throat, he continued, "What happened out there exactly, hoe were their cover's blown?", he asked.

"Well…" Came the beginnings of a reply, "Nunnally was apparently spotted by Princess Euphemia during the takeover, having been among the hostages herself, having told me she was visiting at the time, while Lelouch…" The volume of her words gradually descended into silence, her face becoming pale.

"What happened to Lelouch?" He asked, his tone more forceful than he'd wanted to convey but his worry for the boy evident, something Milly seemed to have understood as she continued.

"Lelouch was a mess, to say the least. He was severely wounded and covered in blood when he climbed out of the Ganymede, it was frightening really. He'd only held out long enough to embrace Nuna before passing out, at which point he was recovered by some doctors and a knight, Cornelia in two. I'd spotted them while we were being evacuated from the building a moved towards the military line."

This particular piece of information worried the aged headmaster, asking, "Is he alright?"

Milly responded, "I believe he is, I saw him being escorted into the G1's infirmary before me and the Student Council member's left for Ashford, and Nunnally was nearby. She promised to call us as soon as she would get the chance, so it shouldn't be too long if the opportunity presents itself."

The flicker of hope in Milly's words caused him to flash a brief smile, positive the boy would pull out alright. Switching over to a more relaxed and jovial tone, he teased his granddaughter.

"So, how do it feel to be saved by a knight in shinning armor?" He quipped.

"Now that's a low blow, even for you old man." She responded, amused at the situation.

"Who are you calling old?" HE retorted, mock indignation etched across his features.

The conversation would drag on for the next hour, a return to normalcy, at least for the time being, taking hold of the cozy office, the Sunday morning light flooding through the windows, promising for a new day.

* * *

Kyoshiro Tohdoh sat upon his futon, lotus style, carefully thinking over yesterday's events, a bottle of sake in his hand. Colonel Kusakabe had, against both his and General Katase's orders, engaged in a hostage taking situation ,along with just over an 8th of the J.L.F.'s current forces, and miserably failed, losing both his and his mens' lives in the process, with no discernible goal having been accomplished. Worse yet, the blatant act of terrorism had largely discredited the already struggling remnants of the defunct Japanese military, resulting in a severe tongue - lashing from the Six Houses of Kyoto and a drop in volunteers, the latter being a relatively minor change considering how little volunteers they had in the first place.

However, despite these unfortunate setbacks, what the Lieutenant Colonel had been focusing on was the mysterious Knightmare that had single - handedly and systematically wiped out both Kusakabe and his men, receiving only minor damage in the process, or so he had been able to piece together through the Britannian news media and their splinter's radio signals during the crisis. It had made him wary, to say the least, as he had recognized the apparent skill with which the aged machine had been using, dodging and weaving its way though the J.L.F. forces, a feet few could admittedly accomplish as he, or she, had. The pilot's identity had never been revealed, strangely enough.

He did have a clue, however, as one of the events clips had recorded an almost inhumanely loud roar, one driving with rage and fear at the same time, the subtle undertones signaling the almost desperate nature of the devices. It was as if the pilot's very life depended upon his success, the consequences be damned. The mentioning of a her, coupled with the familiarity of the voice, granted its deeper tone and heightened maturity, bringing back memories of a raven haired exile from many years ago. An interesting thought, yet at such time mere speculation. Until the arrival of more information, it was anybody guess as to whom had conducted what had been commonly dubbed 'the heroes deed'.

No matter the case, the J.L.F., and therefor him in in turn, would have to be on guard for this new piece, his falling into enemy hands quite possibly resulting in a very legitimate threat to their continued survival in the future.

* * *

Kallen Kōzuki, more commonly know under the name of Kallen Stadtfeld, was rather annoyed at her current situation. In the aftermath of Shinjuku, she and her late brother Noato's resistance cell had convened under the temporary leadership of the man known only to them as Zero, whom had insured their survival and masterminded the escape of the wrongly accused Suzaku Kururugi. It had angered her to no end to find out the man had failed to outright kill the former Viceroy Clovis la Britannia, despite his order to liquidate the entirety of a ghetto, an emotion only furthered by his unfailing excuse of an answer, having simply told him that he'd been unable to "deliver the killing shot".

Now though, the fiery redhead had officially lost her patience, the masked figure having apparently vanished without reason, leaving both her and her group back under Ohgi's command, feeling betrayed and abandoned. It was a paltry consolation that he'd left behind a luxurious R.V. and customized uniforms, though uncoordinated as they were it was hard pressed to use such 'gifts' to their greatest extent. They didn't even have the money necessary to refill their base's fuel tank, meaning it was grounded in a shady underground portion of the ghetto, acting as a sort of secret clubhouse more than command center at this point.

What had made the recent annoyances bearable, however, to both her and her companions glee, was an official invitation to the J.L.F., the largest and most well equipped resistance force in Japan, the dream of many a resistance fighter.

Of all the posts Kallen had hoped to attain, Knightmare pilot was the one, her skills and experience with the large war machines granting her a degree of both pride and autonomy from her boring and tedious day to day life at Ashford. The adrenaline boosts, couple with the flood of stress hormones and other such bodily experience made her feel alive and worthwhile, giving her a cause to which she could strive towards.

To her dismay, however, her arrival at one of the J.L.F.'s proxy recruitment station, located in the Narita Mountains, had been met with rather hostile attitudes, the soldiers immediately pointing her out as an obvious Britannian spy, resulting in several bloodied noses and more than one or two minor fractures, most to her opponents' dismay. It was only with the arrival of one of the higher ranking officers, Tohdoh the Miracle Maker himself no less, that she was granted entry, barring certain conditions, the most troublesome of which had actually been requested by Ohgi. Simply put, she still had to go to school. Kallen Kōzuki may be fighting for Japan, but Kallen Stadtfeld still had a name to uphold. Her vanishing from the Tokyo settlement was sure to bring around an investigation, something made all the more certain by her status as the sole her of the Stadtfeld fortune, as if she'd care.

'God, I hate acting as an invalid!' She inwardly seethed. 'What's the point of going to classes I already know all the answers to! Stupid Ohgi, and Tamaki encouraged him of all people, Tamaki!'

The day of the Lake Kawaguchi Hostage Crisis, Kallen had winced at the fate her fellow Student Council members, being held at gunpoint by rogue operatives of the very group sh had just joined, her knot forming a stomach at the only fate that seemed inevitable. At some point in time, either by Japanese or Britannian hands, the hostages would die, end of story. What effected her most was the presence of Lelouch's little sister Nunnally among said hostages, the blind and crippled girl, always a smile on her face, being felt yet another misery in life. She could only imagine what they boy had to be going through at that point in time. Despite his deep seated arrogance and aloof personality, she could not deny his genuine care and love for his sister, a relationship that deeply reminder her of the one she had with the now past Naoto, much to her chagrin.

It could only be said that she had been shocked upon seeing, along with all her fellow J.L.F. members, a lone, royal purple Knightmare, old as she could imagine considering the large external batteries, make its way through both the Britannian blockade and knightmares, only to descend upon Kusakabe's forces in a rage a death and hellfire, wiping all those wearing the teal - green uniform of the Japanese resistance.

However it was not so much the Knightmare itself, but mores the originating voice of the roar blasted over its speaker's that attracted her attention, the sheer amount of bloodlust and vehemence dripping from the only spoken words from the pilot having made it on the Britannian news, all further information having been censored for the time being. It had, rather easily, reminder her of Lelouch's voice, heard only when someone made some unwanted or unwarranted move or action near his sister, a tone that promised swift and sever punishment should something of wrong. Yet the notion was quickly forgotten, chalking it up to her overreactive imagination due to the mentally stressful situation. After all, Lelouch was so physically underwhelming she doubted he could even pilot a Knightmare, let alone have the endurance to handle one, and seemed completely oblivious to them.

'Won't it be interesting when we found out who that guy is? I'll have fun with him the day we cross swords in Knightmares, now that will be an interesting experience.'

But for now such thoughts were put aside, her first official orders of the day making themselves heard.


End file.
